FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15252, 15 March 1913, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. NOTES AND COMMENTS. One of tie strongest supporters of Rugby football in the southern hemisphere is Mr. G. F. C. Campbell, vice-president of tho New Zealand Union. _In acknowledging hie election to the position of president of the Athletic Football Club (Wellington) this week, Mr. Campbell urged players to try to maintain the amateur spirit. As long as the amateur game was kept going, then they would be assured of the support of the letter people of tho community. If the professions, element were allowed to come into the game, then tho game would deteriorate, and the same spirit that had characterised the Rugby game in the past would not remain with them. It was the proud boast of many distinguished old players ofthe game that they had not a single emblem to show marking their success. Rugby was almost the only game m which the prowess of the individual is not rewarded by prizes or monetary ' gifts. Young men might not think of these things much', but those who had passed tho age or usefulness as athletes thought of them, a good deal. It was a real pleasure to him to see so many young men going in for the Rugby game, which was the truest amateur sport left to them. The thirty-fourth annual report ■of the Canterbury Rugby Union, which was submitted to delegates last night, stated that a considerable loss was sustained on last year's working. The gate takings for the inter-club matches showed a falling off of nearly £60 as compared with those of tho previous year. This loss was almost wholly due to the bad weather experienced for several of the most important fixtures and to the fact that fewer matches were played than usual. The loss on the year's working amounts to nearly £120, but. more than this was incurred in special and nonrecurring items of expenditure. Of these the principal items were:—Grant to insurance fund, £50, as against £30 voted in 1911; cost of sending a junior representative team to the South, £60; the extension of the bi-annual trip to Wellington to cover Taranaki and Wangamii cost an extra expenditure of £100, while the endeavour to further encourage sub-union football in the province cost in the least £20. In addition to these items, £25 was voted towards the cost of erecting a training hall for the various clubs. The South Canterbury match also, which usually retruns a profit of about £50, resulted, owing to severe weather, in An actual loss of £12. ALTERATIONS IN LAWS. Advice of the following alterations in the laws of Rugby football has been received from the English Union: — 1. Definition of taokle: "A tackle is when the, holder of the ball is held by one or more players of the opposite side, so that he oannot at any moment, while he is so held, pass or play it." The words "at any moment -while lie is so b«13" hare been added to the previous definition, 2. Law 16: "In the case of a throw forward or knook-on the ball shall be brought bock to tho place where such infringement occurred, and there bo scrummaged, unless a fair oatch has been allowed /the opposing side gain an advantage, or unless, in the opinion of the referee, such throw forward or knock-on is wilful, when he may award a free kick to be taken at the spot where Buch infringement occurred. This shall not apply to a wilful throw forward or knock-on into touch, which must be dealt with under Law 16a." All the words after " gain an advantage" have been added. 3. Law 16a: "If a player shall wilfully pass, knock, or throw the ball into touch, the opposite side may , claim either a free kick or a scrummage. Such free kick or scrummage is to be taken at their option, either (a) at any spot at right angles to the touch-line, 10yds from tho place where the ball wont into touch, or (1>) at the spot where such pass, knock, or throw forward occurred. In the case of a free kick the spot, whether under (a) or (b), shall taken as the mark. This law shall riot over-ride the power of the referee to allow or disallow a try under Law 13." , Law 13 refers to the power given to a referee to award a try if, in his opinion, ono would l av© been scored but for unfair play or interference on the part of the defending side, or to disallow a try if a try would not have been scored but for unfair play on the part of the attacking side. 'i